Otis’s Story:
Otis is a 6 1/2 year old male fawn pug. I adopted Otis about 2 years ago from a situation where he was used as a breeder, kept in a crate, and at times ignored/abused by his 2 previous owners. I am his 3rd home. When he came to me, he was not socialized with people or other animals. He was shy and scared and clearly emotionally scared from his upbringing. He still bears the physical scars of his abuse on his front legs.

If you’ve met Otis, you know how amazing he is. And, if you are familiar with the pug breed, you know how endearing these animals are. I can honestly say, this little “being” is more human than he is dog. Sharing my life with him for the past two years has had a profound effect on me like no other experience. I feel incredibly lucky to have such a sweet, affectionate, and loving being to share my life with. Otis truly is my family, and I love him more than words can say. I may have “rescued” this little guy from a bad home, but he is truly the one who rescued me. He has opened my heart tremendously. Now, I can’t imagine life without him.

Otis’s Diagnosis:
Our little Otis was diagnosed over the Christmas holiday with multiple Mast Cell Tumors. On December 29th, Otis has had surgery to remove the tumors..one large one on his head, and 6 other small ones on his body.

Our General Practice vet removed the tumor from on top of Otis’s head, and punch biopsied the other sites. With the diagnosis of so many MCT, the vet referred me to an oncologist to work with Otis.

After meeting with the oncologist and board certified surgeon, we discovered that Otis had 3 additional tumors not found on his original exam by the first GP vet. We were also told that the first vet didn’t remove enough tissue around the tumors on his head and neck. Lastly, we also learned that the other tumors that were punch biopsied should have just been needle aspirated to confirm they were MCT and then removed.

We were counseled that Otis would need a 2nd surgery to remove more skin from all the previous tumor sites, and to remove the 3 new tumors as well. It was explained to us that when going in to remove additional tissue from a previous incision, the surgery is much more extensive. This results in the dog ending up with a much larger incision & scar that he would have had if the tumor would have been completely excised the first time around.

For Otis, this meant removing more tissue around his ear and neck tumors, as well as the other tumors on his body. Because of the location of the tumor on his head, this meant Otis’ would loose a large portion of the skin on his head. His left ear would now be up (instead of laying flat) and now located 1″ behind his right ear. And, due to how they need to stitch him up, he now has excess flaps of skin (called “dog ears” due to their triangular shape) at both ends of each incision. We were told that they needed to suture him this way, otherwise if they went for a “cosmetic suture” his incision would have been much longer. For Otis, this now means a large lump on the top of his head, and a large triangle flap of skin that sticks out on the side of his neck. We now call him, “Franken-Pug”. Even with his disfigurement, we still love him with all of our hearts.

During his 2nd surgery, his temperature fell dangerously low. Normally, they put warming blankets on the dogs, but because Otis had so many different areas that needed to be excised, he was not able to have one. So, the surgery had to end before the surgeon was finished. We were then told that Otis will need a 3rd surgery in about 2-4weeks to remove the remaining 3 tumors.

When we picked Otis up from the hospital, he was not well. Unlike his other surgeries (first MCT, neutering, soft palate, etc), Otis was very weak and very anxious. For the first 2 days, Otis just cried, grunted, and whimpered. I gave him round the clock care, never leaving his side for a moment. He wouldn’t eat, drink or use the bathroom. He couldn’t walk, and due to so many incisions in different sites, could not lay down comfortably. Otis truly was miserable.

We decided to wait one month before scheduling Otis’s 3rd surgery, to give him some time to recover. When we took him in for his last surgery, they shaved him in preparation for the operation. Upon doing so, they found 9 additional tumors that were missed on the physical exam. Upon aspiration, they were confirmed as Mast Cell Tumors.

At this point, the surgeon decided not to operate. The oncologist was called in, and Otis is now being prepared for a course of chemotherapy.

Since his last surgery, Otis has not quite recovered. He used to be such a happy and energetic pug, but now, he tires very easily, and is very anxious. It saddens me to see him this way.

Due to Otis’s young age, and the fact that he had so many MCT appear in such a short time, I’ve been told it is likely he will develop more in the future. So, just like with humans with lots of moles who have to watch out for skin cancer, Otis will have to be closely monitored for the rest of his life.

My Financial Challenges:
So far, Otis has had 3 sets of diagnostics and 2 surgeries, totaling $7,600. I had applied to many organizations for financial assistance, but did not qualify. The reasons I received were because I am not elderly, I am not unemployed, I don’t live in certain states of the US, because I am not a non-profit, or because my dog is not expected to die in 5 days without treatment. I also applied to the CARE Credit card, but was also denied.

In desperation, I tried to open another credit card, but was denied. And, the card I’ve had for over 15 years just sent me a letter decreasing my limit from $40,000 to now just $7,000. I emailed 120 people I know and asked them to donate to help Otis, and have raised about $900. To help cover the vet bills, I’ve also sold most of my non-work related valuable belongings.

I can’t thank your organization enough for providing me financial assistance to help with Otis’s cancer care. Your contribution will really help. THANK YOU.

If you are reading this, and are an animal lover, pug owner, or just someone with a big heart and an ability to help, please consider contributing to Otis’s care.

Thank you for taking the time to read Otis’s story. And, thank you for ANY donation you might be able to make to his care.